Category: General News

  • John Hughes Staff Award 2019

    The John Hughes Staff Award is available to support the professional and personal development of individuals through funding for qualifications, conferences, workshops, short courses and research trips. 

    The award is available to permanent staff members who have worked at BCLM for a minimum of 6 months and who are able to demonstrate how the award will support their personal development and also benefit the Museum.

    The maximum award available each year from 2016-2021 is £1,000 (the minimum amount requested should be no less than £200), which will be awarded to one or multiple staff members following submission of the attached form. Any supporting or additional information about the professional/personal development opportunity should be attached to the application.

    Staff are required to discuss their requirements with their Line Manager prior to completing the attached application. This is to ensure the application is suitable to be funded in this way and is not a requirement which may be able to be met by the Museum in other ways. This should then be authorised by the Line Manager and submitted to HR. A decision will then be made by HR and the relevant Deputy Chief Executive (s), subject to the remaining funds available and according to the needs of the Museum at that time.

    If you are interested in applying for funding through the John Hughes Award please complete the attached form and return to HR no later than 5pm on Monday 15 April 2019.

  • Staff Prize Draw

    The Museum have taken part in a ticket swap with local and national attractions. There are a number of tickets available to employees. To be in with a chance of winning one of these tickets please complete a staff prize draw slip and return to the HR postbox in Rolfe Street. Prize draw slips will be available from tomorrow and will be above Doo’s, in the Guide Hut and in Rolfe Street kitchen. The deadline for entries is Friday 12 April 2019 at 5pm. Winners will be drawn at random on Monday 15 April 2019. Tickets will then be distributed through Line Managers.

  • BCLM selected for Google Arts & Culture Initiative for its Creative Enterprise

    The Museum has recently been selected by the Museum Prize Trust, in partnership with Google Arts & Culture and the Association for Cultural Enterprise, as one of six heritage organisations demonstrating exemplary ‘creative enterprise’. Next Tuesday (9th April), filming will be taking place across site to produce a 5-minute film showcasing the Museum which will be profiled on Google Arts & Culture to launch the Trust’s new annual prize for Creative Enterprise.

    Penelope, Viscountess Cobham, Chair of the Museum Prize Trust said “We had a fascinating time studying the applications from across the country and I’m delighted that Black Country Living Museum has been chosen for inclusion in the Google Arts and Culture initiative.”

    The other five organisations are: SS Great Britain, London Transport Museum, Sir John Soane’s Museum, Bodleian Libraries, Oxford and the Horniman Museum & Gardens.

  • Meet the Volunteer – Linda

    In the latest of our series of ‘Meet the Volunteer’ profiles we hear from Linda who is a volunteer in the 1930s domestic rooms.

    “When I retired I wanted more to my life than ‘ladies that lunch’. I love history and always had a soft spot for the Museum, and could use my social skills.

    I began volunteering in October 2016 and you can usually see me on a Friday in the domestic rooms.

    Volunteering has made a positive impact on my life: After 47 years of a ‘career job’ I find this social and enjoyable and I’m hopefully making a difference without the pressure of employment.

    The best thing about volunteering for me is being free of computers and being able to spend my time on a face to face basis in great surroundings whilst knowing I am helping a good cause.”

  • Staff Parking

    To ensure visitors are able to easily access the entrance please could all staff park in either the staff parking area, to the side of the Rolfe Street, or alongside the green fence by the Tipton Road.

    Your help is very much appreciated as we approach our busy season.

    Thank you for your co-operation.

  • Forging Ahead….Going Ahead

    I’m delighted to let you know that our Round 2 application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) for £9.4m towards BCLM: Forging Ahead has been successful.

    This follows a meeting of the NLHF’s National Committee on Tuesday afternoon and confirmation to us from the regional office yesterday.  Anecdotally, they said our application was incredibly strong, particularly our leveraging of LEP funding and our extensive community consultation.

    This is excellent news and a testament to all of our hard work over the past 3 years, of which I am immensely proud.

    The decision is not public knowledge at this time and due to the Restricted Period ahead of local elections on 2 May, we are under strict instructions from NLHF that we cannot make any announcements about the outcome of their decision until sometime after 3 May.

    Your patience in keeping this information to yourselves for the time being is therefore hugely appreciated.

    Well done all.

    Andrew

  • Farewell Michaela!

    After almost 3 years at the Museum, Michaela Fallon-Williams will be leaving us on 11 April to take up a new role as HR Business Partner for Ansaldo NES in Wolverhampton.  We wish Michaela every success in her new role and thank her for her contribution to the success of the Museum.

    We will let colleagues know of the interim HR arrangements we will put in place soon.

    Helen Astill (HR Consultant) remains with us to lead on HR projects, including the proposed leadership and management restructure.

  • Ice Cream flavour suggestions wanted

    Ice Cream flavour suggestions wanted

    We’re working with local supplier Churchfields Ice Cream and have the opportunity to create bespoke ice cream flavours which reflect the Museum.

    If you have a suggestion for a flavour which you think sums up the smells or the tastes of the Museum and/or the wider Black Country region we want to hear from you!

    Eight flavours will be trialled with the top six going forward to a public vote on social media.

    We hope to launch the flavours at the ‘Red by Night event’.

    Please email Giles Hammond [email protected]  by April 8th with your ideas.

  • Collections store tours

    Thank you all for your interest in taking a tour of the stores – please note that both dates for the tours in March are now fully booked.

    Please look out for future updates as further tours will be planned throughout the year.

  • Disabled Access Day

    Saturday 16 March 10am – 4pm

    Join us on Disabled Access Day and ‘try something new’ in one of the many free activities we’ll be running at the Museum to celebrate great access and inclusion.

    Meet Canine Partners and see their Assistance Dogs in action or take part in one of our free “try something new” workshops – maybe an accessible exercise class or how about a Laughter Yoga Session?

    Visit our disability information hub (in Hall 1, Rolfe Street) with over 20 stalls; discover artefacts from our historic collection with specialist talks throughout the day; or join one of our Deaf Friendly or Audio Descriptive Tours.

    All activities are free of charge. Booking Essential.

    Contact the Sales and Ticketing Team on 0121 520 8054 or book via email: [email protected]